Device having multiple optical fibers

ABSTRACT

A device includes two optical fibers bonded to a body. The body has a mating end and a splicing end. Each of the two optical fibers has a respective polished end and splicing end. The polished end of each of the two optical fibers is situated adjacent to and flush with the mating end of the body. The length of the two optical fibers is the same, where the length is defined by the distance from the splicing end to the polished end. The length of the two optical fibers is greater than the length of the body as defined by the distance from the mating end to the splicing end of the body. The length of the two optical fibers is less than fifty millimeters. The two optical fibers are parallel to one another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to the field of fiber optics. Theinvention more particularly concerns a device which provides for thetermination of multiple optical fibers in a single ferrule.

2. Discussion of the Background

During the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, optical fiber based datatransmission systems flourished. Optical fiber based systems wereinstalled in buildings, between buildings in the same city, betweenbuildings in different cities, and between buildings on differentcontinents.

Optical fibers are also installed on spans which are not so expansive.Optical fibers run between devices, such as host devices used forcommunication or data transmission, housed within the same building.Multiple host devices are typically installed in rack-like structures.The back side of the rack structure can become entangled with multipleoptical fibers. The optical fibers run between host devices located inthe same rack and between host devices located on different racks.Finding a single optical fiber out of the large group of entangledoptical fibers is a frustrating and time consuming process.Additionally, when optical fibers become entangled some of the opticalfibers can be stressed and bent past their permissible bend radii, thusleading to optical power loss of the transmitted signal and potentiallya catastrophic fracture failure of the optical fiber itself.

To combat the problem, some end-users have tried to organize the opticalfibers by color coding optical fibers and also by grouping some of theoptical fibers, in certain locations, together with tie-wraps. A morelogical and organized approach to the management of optical fibers isprovided by Advanced Interconnection Technologies, a Stratos Lightwave,Inc., company, and is commonly known as flex circuitry which can be anoptical backplane. In a basic form, flex circuitry includes a flexiblepolymer layer onto which is applied optical fibers in a pre-setarrangement and then a second flexible polymer layer is placed on top ofthe optical fibers and affixed to the first flexible polymer layer so asto encase and protect and maintain the arrangement of the opticalfibers. The optical fibers are typically terminated with one or acombination of more than one of the now well known fiber opticconnectors, such as MT, MP, MTP/MPO, MPX, MAC, HBMT, OGI, and otherconnector form factors.

The ferrule 91 of FIG. 1 is an MT-style multi-fiber optic device. Thedevice includes a body 92 which has alignment holes 93, 94 and apertureswhich accommodate terminated ends 95 of optical fibers at a mating end101, and a window 98. The body 92 is formed by flowing a resin into amold. The optical fibers 97 of the multi-fiber optical cable 96 areinserted into the body 92 until their ends are nearly flush with themating end 101. Then an adhesive such as an epoxy is introduced into thewindow 98 so as to affix the multi-fiber optical cable stripped of itsmatrix 97 to the body 92. By way of example, the multi-fiber opticalcable 96 can be emanating from a flex circuit, or the ferrule canterminate a ribbon cable, or any device from which at least two opticalfibers protrude.

Thus, there is a need for a method or device which terminates multipleoptical fibers of a single ferrule which is less time consuming toassemble, is more reliable, and is more dimensionally accurate thanknown methods and devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a device havingmultiple optical fibers where the device is easily assembled.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device havingmultiple optical fibers where the device is reliable.

It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide amethod of making a device having multiple optical fibers.

In one form of the invention, the device includes two optical fibers anda body. The body has a mating end and a splicing end. Each of the twooptical fibers has a respective polished end and splicing end. Thepolished end of each of the two optical fibers is situated adjacent toand flush with the mating end of the body. The length of the two opticalfibers is the same, where the length is defined by the distance from thesplicing end to the polished end. The first optical fiber of the twooptical fibers has a first length, and the second optical fiber of thetwo optical fibers has a second length. The length of the two opticalfibers is greater than the length of the body, where the length of thebody is defined by the distance from the mating end to the splicing endof the body and is known as the third length. The length of the twooptical fibers is less than fifty millimeters. The two optical fibersare parallel to one another. The two optical fibers form a plane. Thetwo optical fibers are bonded to the body.

In another form of the invention, the device includes two opticalfibers, a body, and a splice protector. The body has a mating end and asplicing end. Each of the two optical fibers has a respective polishedend and splicing end. The polished end of each of the two optical fibersis situated adjacent to and flush with the mating end of the body. Thelength of the two optical fibers is the same, where the length isdefined by the distance from the splicing end to the polished end. Thefirst optical fiber of the two optical fibers has a first length, andthe second optical fiber of the two optical fibers has a second length.The length of the two optical fibers is greater than the length of thebody, where the length of the body is defined by the distance from themating end to the splicing end of the body and is known as the thirdlength. The length of the two optical fibers is less than fiftymillimeters. The two optical fibers are parallel to one another. The twooptical fibers form a plane. The two optical fibers are bonded to thebody. The splice protector has a first end and a second end. The firstend of the splice protector is mechanically associated with the body.The splice protector has an aperture. The second end of the spliceprotector is separated from the mating end of the body by a fourthlength. The fourth length being greater than the first length of thefirst optical fiber. The splicing ends of the first and second opticalfibers are situated in the aperture of the splice protector.

In a variation of the above-described device, the splice protectorincludes a recess instead of an aperture.

In yet another form of the invention, the device is constructed as setforth by the following steps: forming a body having a mating end and asplicing end, the body having a first aperture and a second aperture;inserting a first optical fiber into the first aperture of the body, thefirst optical fiber having a polishing end and a splicing end, thepolishing end of the first optical fiber situated adjacent to the matingend of the body; inserting a second optical fiber into the secondaperture of the body, the second optical fiber having a polishing endand a splicing end, the polishing end of the second optical fibersituated adjacent to the mating end of the body; polishing the firstoptical fiber and the second optical fiber adjacent to the mating end ofthe body; inserting optical fibers of a flex circuit through an apertureof a splice protector; positioning the splicing ends of the first andsecond optical fibers adjacent to ends of the optical fibers of the flexcircuit; splicing the splicing ends of the first and second opticalfibers to the ends of the optical fibers of the flex circuit so as toform a spliced area; and mechanically associating the splice protectorwith the body so as that the aperture of the splice protectorencompasses the spliced area of the optical fibers.

Thus, the device having multiple optical fibers and the method of makingthe same is superior to existing solutions since the resulting device isreliable, and is easy to assemble as compared to prior art devices andpractices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendantadvantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art device having multipleoptical fibers;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a device having multiple optical fibers;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a splice protector;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the body of FIG. 2, and the spliceprotector of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the body of FIG. 2, the splice protectorof FIG. 4, and a multi-fiber optic segment extending from a flexcircuit;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled device of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the inventionincorporating a cross over of optical fibers;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a splice protector having a recess;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the body of FIG. 2, the spliceprotector of FIG. 10, and a multi-fiber optic segment; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the assembled device of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designateidentical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and moreparticularly to FIGS. 2 and 3 thereof, is a device 11.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a device 11 which includes a body 12 andoptical fibers 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31. Thebody 12 includes a mating end 16 and a splicing end 19. The mating end16 includes alignment holes 13, 14, where the alignment holes 13, 14serve the same purpose as the alignment holes 93, 94 of the device 91shown in FIG. 1. The device 11 of FIG. 2 at the mating end 16 hasdimensions which are similar to dimension found on the standard MT-styleferrule. Ends 15 of the optical fibers 20-31 are terminated at themating end 16 of the body 12 through apertures formed in the body 12.

The ends 15 are polishing ends of the optical fibers 20-31. Once theoptical fibers 20-31 are bonded to the body 12 by way of an adhesive,the ends 15 of the optical fibers are cleaved and then polishedsubstantially flush with the mating end 16 of the body 12. Moreover, thebody 12 includes a window 18 through which the adhesive may be appliedto the optical fibers located in the window 18. Numeral designator 17denotes one of the optical fibers 20-31 located in the region of thewindow 18. In addition to having a polishing or polished end, eachoptical fiber 20-31 has a splicing end where the length of the opticalfibers are provided by mechanical cleaving, or by way of ablation, or byother cleaving processes, of the optical fibers at a suitable locationso as to provide the splicing end. By way of example, the splicing endsof optical fibers 20, 21 are denoted by numeral designators 32, 33,respectively. Typically, the optical fibers 20-31 are made of glass andmay be either multi-mode or single mode optical fibers. The body 12 istypically made of a polymer material.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device 11 of FIG. 2. The length of theoptical fibers 20-31 are substantially the same. A first optical fiber20 and a second optical fiber 21 are shown to have a length denoted bythe alphabetic character F. The length F is measured from the polishingend 15 to the splicing end 32 of the first optical fiber 20. The secondoptical fiber 21 is measured in the same way. The optical fibers 20-31are substantially parallel to one another and they form a plane. Thelength of the body 12 is measured from the mating end 16 to the splicingend 19 and is denoted by the alphabetic character B. As shown in FIG. 3,the length F of the optical fibers 20-31 is greater than the length B ofthe body 12. Typically, the length F of the optical fibers 20-31 is lessthan fifty millimeters.

The device 11 of FIGS. 2 and 3 is suitable for mass production. Thedevice 11 is made and tested. Each optical fiber 20-31 is tested foroptical acceptability and is polished on one end and is cleaved on theother end so as to form a surface which is easily spliced. The body 12is tested for dimensional accuracy. Thus, the device 11 can be producedand stored in large quantities. When the market place demands moreterminations having the pre-made device 11, the device 11 is taken outof storage and is spliced to optical fibers of another device along thesplicing ends 32, 33 of the optical fibers 20--31 of the device 11.Therefore, the device 11 allows for the low cost production of highquality terminations which traditionally are time consuming andexpensive to make.

FIGS. 4-6 show the components of another embodiment of the device 40.The device 40 incorporates the body 11, and optical fibers 20-31 of thedevice 11 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and adds thereto the spliceprotector 30 as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of thesplice protector 30. The splice protector 30 includes a first end 32, asecond end 34, and an aperture 35 extending from the first end 32 to thesecond end 34. Preferably, the splice protector 30 is made of a polymermaterial, where the polymer material is transparent to U.V. radiation.Furthermore, the splice protector 30 is shown to be of one piece,however, the splice protector 30 can be composed of several piece parts.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device 11 of FIGS. 2 and 3 and thesplice protector 30 mechanically associated with the body 12 of thedevice 11 of FIGS. 2 and 3 so as to form the new embodiment of thedevice 40. The splice protector 30 can be mounted directly to the body12 near the splicing end 19 of the body 12 or the splice protected 30can be mounted indirectly to the body 12 by way of an intermediarydevice such as a sleeve or standoff (not shown). The splicing ends 32,33 of the optical fibers 20-31 are situated in the aperture 35 of thesplice protector 30.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device 40 of FIG. 5. The length of thedevice 40 is measured from the mating end 16 of the body 12 to thesecond end 34 of the splice protector 30 and is denoted by thealphabetic character T. The length T of the device 40 is greater thanthe length F of the optical fibers 20-31. Therefore, the splicing ends32, 33 of the optical fibers 20-31 do not protrude beyond the second end34 of the splice protector 30.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the body 12, optical fibers20-31, the splice protector 30, and a multi-fiber optic segment or cable45 extending, for example, from a flex circuit, so as to form yetanother embodiment of the device 50. In practice, matrix material isremoved from a portion of the multi-fiber optic cable 45 so as to exposefree ends of the optical fibers 60-71 residing therein. The opticalfibers 60-71 are then thread through the aperture 35 of the spliceprotector 30. The free ends of the optical fibers 60-71 are thenposition adjacent to the splicing ends 32, 33 of the optical fibers20-31. The optical fibers 20-31 are then spliced to the optical fibers60-71. The splicing technique can be mechanical or by way of applyingheat with a lapsing device. Once the splicing step is completed, thesplice protector 30 is moved toward the body 12, where the spliceprotector 30 is mechanically associated with the body 12 so as to formthe device 50. The splice protector 30 can be directly or indirectlyattached to the body 12 by application of adhesives or by press fittingor by other attachment methods well known in the art.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled device 50 of FIG. 7. Sincethe length T from the mating end 16 of the body 12 to the second end 34of the splice protector 30 is greater than the length F of the opticalfibers 20-31, the splice protector 30 protects the area surrounding thelocation of the splice from being excessively bent and strained.

Preferably, a coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass material ofthe optical fibers 20-31 is substantially the same as a coefficient ofthermal expansion of the polymer material of the body 12. Furthermore,it is preferable that the coefficient of thermal expansion of thepolymer material of the body 12 is substantially the same as acoefficient of thermal expansion of the polymer material of the spliceprotector 30. Additionally, it is preferable that the coefficient ofthermal expansion of the polymer material of the body 12 issubstantially the same as a coefficient of thermal expansion of theadhesive material.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the body 12, optical fibers20-31, the splice protector 30, and a multi-fiber optic segment or cable45 extending, for example, from a flex circuit, so as to form yetanother embodiment of the device 80. The device 80 of FIG. 9 employs thesame parts as the device 50 of FIG. 7. The two devices 50, 80 differ inthat the device 80 of FIG. 9 re-routes the order or sequence of two ofthe optical fibers 20-31. As shown in FIG. 9 at the mating end of thebody 12, three of the optical fibers 31, 30, 29 are shown in sequencestarting from the outermost optical fiber toward the more inwardlysituated optical fiber. At the splicing end of the optical fibers 20-31of the body 12, FIG. 12 shows the sequence of the three optical fibers31, 30, 29 has changed so that the sequence of optical fibers is 30, 31,29. Thus, the first and second optical fibers changed sequence. Once theoptical fibers 20-31 are properly aligned, they are spliced to theoptical fibers 60-71. In this case, optical fiber 31 is spliced tooptical fiber 70, and optical fiber 30 is spliced to optical fiber 71.

By contrast, in the device 50 of FIG. 7, optical fiber 31 was spliced tooptical fiber 71, and optical fiber 30 was spliced to optical fiber 70.The crossed-over or re-routed optical fibers 30, 31 can be combined inother sequences and the remaining optical fibers 20-29 can be re-routedin other sequences also. Even though the optical fibers 20-31 may becrossed-over, the optical fiber 20-31 have approximately the samelength. The construction of device 80 is then completed as is the device50 of FIG. 7. The flexibility afforded by the re-routing of the opticalfibers 20-31 of device 80 allows a manufacturer to build unique devicesthat can have the output sequence of optical fibers prescribed by theend-user.

FIGS. 10-12 show the components of another embodiment of the device 120.The device 120 incorporates the body 11, as shown in FIG. 2, and adds asplice protector 110, as shown in FIG. 10. The splice protector 110 issimilar to the splice protector 30 shown in FIG. 4. The splice protector30 shown in FIG. 4 includes an aperture 35. In contrast, the spliceprotector 110 includes a recess 115. The splice protector 110 has afirst end 112 and a second end 114. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspectiveview of the body 11, the splice protector 110, and a multi-fiber opticsegment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the assembled device 120 ofFIG. 11. Assembly of the device 120 is similar to the assembly of thedevices 50, 80 as above described. Since the splice protector 110 has arecess 115 the spliced optical fibers 20-31, 60-71 can be maintainedwithin the recess 115 of the splice protector 110 by way of an adhesivematerial applied to the spliced optical fiber 20-31, 60-71 and therecess 115.

All of the devices 11, 40, 50, 80, and 120 show a body 12 which conformsto a MT-style standard. However, the mating end 16 of the body 12 ofeach of the devices 11, 40, and 50 can conform to any standard connectorsize including but not limited to MP, MTP/MPO, MPX, MAC, OGI, and HBMT.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device comprising: a first optical fiber havinga polished end and a splicing end, the polished end and the splicing endof the first optical fiber separated by a first length; a second opticalfiber having a polished end and a splicing end, the polished end and thesplicing end of the second optical fiber separated by a second length,the second length of the second optical fiber being substantially thesame as the first length of the first optical fiber, the second opticalfiber being substantially parallel to the first optical fiber, thesecond optical fiber and the first optical fiber form a plane, and thesecond length of the second optical fiber being less than fiftymillimeters; a body having a mating end and a splicing end, the matingend and the splicing end of the body separated by a third length, thefirst optical fiber bonded to the body, the second optical fiber bondedto the body, the polished end of the first optical fiber and thepolished end of the second optical fiber being substantially flush withthe mating end of the body, and the third length of the body being lessthan the first length of the first optical fiber; and an adhesivematerial positioned between the first optical fiber and the body, andbetween the second optical fiber and the body so as to bond the firstoptical fiber to the body, and to bond the second optical fiber to thebody, and wherein the body has a first aperture, the first apertureextending from the mating end to the splicing end, a first portion ofthe first optical fiber positioned in the first aperture, and whereinthe body has a second aperture, the second aperture extending from themating end to the splicing end, a second portion of the second opticalfiber positioned in the second aperture, and wherein the body is made ofa polymer material, and wherein the first optical fiber is made from aglass material, and wherein the second optical fiber is made from aglass material, and wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of theglass material of the first optical fiber is substantially the same as acoefficient of thermal expansion of the polymer material of the body,and wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the adhesive materialis substantially the same as the coefficient of thermal expansion of thepolymer material of the body.
 2. A device according to claim 1 whereinthe device is compatible with and mateable to a receptacle for aconnector where the connector is selected from the group consisting ofMT, MP, MTP/MPO, MPX, MAC, OGI, and HBMT style connectors.
 3. A devicecomprising: a first optical fiber having a polished end and a splicingend, the polished end and the splicing end of the first optical fiberseparated by a first length; a second optical fiber having a polishedend and a splicing end, the polished end and the splicing end of thesecond optical fiber separated by a second length, the second length ofthe second optical fiber being substantially the same as the firstlength of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber beingsubstantially parallel to the first optical fiber, the second opticalfiber and the first optical fiber form a plane, and the second length ofthe second optical fiber being less than fifty millimeters; a bodyhaving a mating end and a splicing end, the mating end and the splicingend of the body separated by a third length, the first optical fiberbonded to the body, the second optical fiber bonded to the body, thepolished end of the first optical fiber and the polished end of thesecond optical fiber being substantially flush with the mating end ofthe body, and the third length of the body being less than the firstlength of the first optical fiber; and a splice protector having a firstend and a second end, the first end of the splice protector mechanicallyassociated with the body, the splice protector having an aperture, andthe second end of the splice protector separated from the mating end ofthe body by a fourth length, the fourth length being greater than thefirst length of the first optical fiber, and wherein the splicing end ofthe first optical fiber is situated in the aperture of the spliceprotector, and the splicing end of the second optical fiber is situatedin the aperture of the splice protector.
 4. A device according to claim3, further comprising an adhesive material positioned between the firstoptical fiber and the body, and between the second optical fiber and thebody so as to bond the first optical fiber to the body, and to bond thesecond optical fiber to the body.
 5. A device according to claim 4wherein the body has a first aperture, the first aperture extending fromthe mating end to the splicing end, a first portion of the first opticalfiber positioned in the first aperture, and wherein the body has asecond aperture, the second aperture extending from the mating end tothe splicing end, a second portion of the second optical fiberpositioned in the second aperture.
 6. A device according to claim 5wherein the body is made of a polymer material.
 7. A device according toclaim 6 wherein the splice protector is made of a polymer material whichis transparent to U.V. radiation.
 8. A device according to claim 7wherein the first optical fiber is made from a glass material, andwherein the second optical fiber is made from a glass material.
 9. Adevice according to claim 8 wherein a coefficient of thermal expansionof the glass material of the first optical fiber is substantially thesame as a coefficient of thermal expansion of the polymer material ofthe body, and wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the adhesivematerial is substantially the same as the coefficient of thermalexpansion of the polymer material of the body.
 10. A device according toclaim 9 wherein the device is compatible with and mateable to areceptacle for a connector where the connector is selected from thegroup consisting of MT, MP, MAX, MU, MAC, OGI, and HBMT styleconnectors.
 11. A device according to claim 10, further comprising athird optical fiber of a flex circuit, the third optical fiber having afree end, the free end of the third optical fiber spliced to thesplicing end of the first optical fiber, and further comprising a fourthoptical fiber of the flex circuit, the fourth optical fiber having afree end, the free end of the fourth optical fiber spliced to thesplicing end of the second optical fiber.
 12. A device comprising: afirst optical fiber having a polished end and a splicing end, thepolished end and the splicing end of the first optical fiber separatedby a first length; a second optical fiber having a polished end and asplicing end, the polished end and the splicing end of the secondoptical fiber separated by a second length, the second length of thesecond optical fiber being substantially the same as the first length ofthe first optical fiber, the second optical fiber being substantiallyparallel to the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber and thefirst optical fiber form a plane, and the second length of the secondoptical fiber being less than fifty millimeters; a body having a matingend and a splicing end, the mating end and the splicing end of the bodyseparated by a third length, the first optical fiber bonded to the body,the second optical fiber bonded to the body, the polished end of thefirst optical fiber and the polished end of the second optical fiberbeing substantially flush with the mating end of the body, and the thirdlength of the body being less than the first length of the first opticalfiber; and a splice protector having a first end and a second end, thefirst end of the splice protector mechanically associated with the body,the splice protector having a recess, and the second end of the spliceprotector separated from the mating end of the body by a fourth length,the fourth length being greater than the first length of the firstoptical fiber, and wherein the splicing end of the first optical fiberis situated in the recess of the splice protector, and the splicing endof the second optical fiber is situated in the recess of the spliceprotector.
 13. A method of making a device comprising the steps of:forming a body having a mating end and a splicing end, the body having afirst aperture and a second aperture; inserting a first optical fiberinto the first aperture of the body, the first optical fiber having apolishing end and a splicing end, the polishing end of the first opticalfiber situated adjacent to the mating end of the body; inserting asecond optical fiber into the second aperture of the body, the secondoptical fiber having a polishing end and a splicing end, the polishingend of the second optical fiber situated adjacent to the mating end ofthe body; polishing the first optical fiber and the second optical fiberadjacent to the mating end of the body; inserting optical fibers of aflex circuit through an aperture of a splice protector; positioning thesplicing ends of the first and second optical fibers adjacent to ends ofthe optical fibers of the flex circuit; splicing the splicing ends ofthe first and second optical fibers to the ends of the optical fibers ofthe flex circuit so as to form a spliced area; and mechanicallyassociating the splice protector with the body so as that the apertureof the splice protector encompasses the spliced area.
 14. A methodaccording to claim 13 wherein the step of splicing is achieved by way ofa lapsing device.
 15. A device comprising: a first optical fiber havinga polished end and a splicing end, the polished end and the splicing endof the first optical fiber separated by a first length; a second opticalfiber having a polished end and a splicing end, the polished end and thesplicing end of the second optical fiber separated by a second length,the second length of the second optical fiber being substantially thesame as the first length of the first optical fiber; a third opticalfiber having a polished end and a splicing end, the polished end and thesplicing end of the third optical fiber separated by a third length, thethird length of the third optical fiber being substantially the same asthe first length of the first optical fiber, and the third length of thethird optical fiber being less than fifty millimeters, and wherein thefirst optical fiber, the second optical fiber, and the third opticalfiber form a plane; a body having a mating end and a splicing end, themating end and the splicing end of the body separated by a fourthlength, the first optical fiber bonded to the body, the second opticalfiber bonded to the body, the third optical fiber bonded to the body,the polished end of the first optical fiber, the polished end of thesecond optical fiber, and the polished end of the third optical fiberbeing substantially flush with the mating end of the body, and thefourth length of the body being less than the first length of the firstoptical fiber, and the polished end of the first optical fiber and thepolished end of the third optical fiber straddle the polished end of thesecond optical fiber; and a splice protector having a first end and asecond end, the first end of the splice protector mechanicallyassociated with the body, the splice protector having an aperture, andthe second end of the splice protector separated from the mating end ofthe body by a fifth length, the fifth length being greater than thefirst length of the first optical fiber, and wherein the splicing end ofthe first optical fiber is situated in the aperture of the spliceprotector, the splicing end of the second optical fiber is situated inthe aperture of the splice protector, and the splicing end of the thirdoptical fiber is situated in the aperture of the splice protector, andthe splicing end of the second optical fiber and the splicing end of thethird optical fiber straddle the splicing end of the first opticalfiber.
 16. A device according to claim 15, further comprising a fourthoptical fiber of a flex circuit, the fourth optical fiber having a freeend, the free end of the fourth optical fiber spliced to the splicingend of the second optical fiber, and further comprising a fifth opticalfiber of the flex circuit, the fifth optical fiber having a free end,the free end of the fifth optical fiber spliced to the splicing end ofthe first optical fiber, and further comprising a sixth optical fiber ofthe flex circuit, the sixth optical fiber having a free end, the freeend of the sixth optical fiber spliced to the splicing end of the thirdoptical fiber, and wherein the free end of the fourth optical fiber andthe free end of the sixth optical fiber straddle the free end of thefifth optical fiber.